South Korean partnership for Argentina

20 September 2010

South Korea has made headway into the South American nuclear market following the signing of an agreement to support Argentina's nuclear power program.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in new nuclear projects and life extension of existing plants was signed on 16 September by South Korean knowledge economy minister Choi Kyoung-hwan and Argentinean planning minister Julio de Vido.

Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco) is actively marketing new nuclear plants and, in December 2009, its APR-1400 design was selected as the basis of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) nuclear power program. Soon after the announcement of the UAE contract award was made, the South Korean Ministry of Knowledge Economy declared that the country had set ambitious export targets of 80 nuclear power reactors by 2030.

Argentina's recent MoU signing follows similar agreements with other nations. Nuclear cooperation agreements have been signed with Russia as well as with Canada's AECL, and discussions with reactor vendors from other countries are ongoing.

Argentina has two pressurized heavy water reactors (PHWRs) in operation, a Candu-6 at Embalse in Córdoba and a Siemens PHWR at Atucha in Buenos Aires. Construction on a second Siemens PHWR at Atucha began in 1981 and was suspended in 1994. In 2006, the government decided to complete Atucha 2 but delays to the project continue. Recent reports in the Argentine press give an estimated startup date for Atucha 2 of September 2011.